Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1887-09-15
FORAKER AND THE FARMERS

FORAKER AND THE FARMERS
The Democratic papers are trying to
deceive the farmers concerning Governor
Foraker's position on the matter of taxa
ton The fact is the Democratic news
papers do not love Governor Foraker, and
they consider any form Of malicious mis-
representations or deliberate falsifications
concerning him fully warranted by their
lack of affection But they mistake the
intelligence of the farmers of Ohio when
they attempt to crowd down their throats
brazen lies. A clear statement of Gov
ernor Foraker's position on the subject of
taxation as it relates to the owners of
property is perhaps warranted by the
persistent Misrepresentation regarding
1t. The whole fabric of fasehood woven
by the Democratic editors is founded on
the statements made in Governor For
aker's special message to the legislature
on the subject of taxation. Yet, at the
time this message was delivered the
Democratic newspapers commended it.
The Cincinnati Enquirer and Cleveland
Plain Dealer especially called attention
to and commended its recommendations.
At the time it was considered all right
by the Democratic newspapers, which,
now that campaign is opening falsify
their own utterances and give the lie TO
their own former statements.
Governor Foraker's position was at the
time assailed by some bankers and bond
holders who did not take kindly to his
proposition to make them pay their fair
and equitable share of taxes, thus reliev-
ing the overtaxed farmers. For days the
columns Of the newspapers were filled
with cards and communications from
bankers and bondholders assailing the
governors position because the following
Of his recommendations would compel
them to bear their just proportion Of
taxes and thus relieve other classes.
In Governor Foraker's special message,
on which all the Democratic lies are
based, he states that the rate of taxation
should not be increased. Has any one
any object to this? He recommended the
taxation of the liquor tariff Who OBJ
jects to that? He said that foreign cor
porations should be taxed on their gross
receipts. Some now are. If all were,
the taxes of farmers and Ohio owners of
property would be lessened. He recon-
mended the taxation of all bonds Who
objects to that except capitalists? He
spoke of the injustice of an unequaled
listing of personal property for taxation.
Every one recognizes this.
These were the principal parts of that
special message. Along towards the close
of it he had something to say about the
valuation of real estate and though that
was the smallest part of the message,
the Democratic newspapers are now at
tempting to make their misconstruction
of it, appear to have been the principal
feature Of the message. Now, what was
the awful statement made by him on the
strength of which the farmers are
called upon to denounce him? 1t was
chat: 'It is obvious that so long as the
present valuation of real estate stands
great injustice will be done to all whose
property is even approximately valued
etc. and that every one knows is true.
Much of it is appraised at too high a
figure as compared with other property.
It takes bold and conscienceless falsifier
TO make anything out of that inimical to
the interests of the farmer And it is GER
tainly impossible to so construe it after
reading Governor Foraker's fullest state
ment on the same subject in his last an
nual message to the legislature.
In that we get exactly his position re-
garding the taxation of farm property in
the last annual message of his, Governor
Foraker said: ''The last decennial ap-
praisement of real estate was at period
of great prosperity. It was a time of
general high values. Since then there
has been heavy decline. Farm prop
erty is from 25 to so per cent. cheaper to-
day than it was then. The consequence
Is that farming lands of the state, where
they have not been affected by the growth
of cities or other developments, are now
taxed on an average more nearly at their
full value in money than any other class
of property. In fact, the farm lands of
some of the counties are taxed more than
they could be sold for" After reading
this, is any farmer likely to allow Demo-
cratic newspapers to deceive him regard
ing Governor Foraker's position on this
subject? Hardly.